Mavericks get healthy, snap three-game losing streak

Wednesday

Jan 27, 2010 at 12:01 AMJan 27, 2010 at 9:13 PM

Sparked by the return of Kyle Bochek and Mike Burgoyne to the lineup from injured reserve and the play of goaltender Gerry Festa, the Missouri Mavericks ended their three-game losing streak Tuesday night with a 6-3 win over the Tulsa Oilers at BOK Center.

A staff report - localnews@examiner.net

Sparked by the return of Kyle Bochek and Mike Burgoyne to the lineup from injured reserve and the play of goaltender Gerry Festa, the Missouri Mavericks ended their three-game losing streak Tuesday night with a 6-3 win over the Tulsa Oilers at BOK Center.

Missouri (18-19-3) pulled into a tie for fifth place – and the final playoff spot – in the Northern Conference standings with the Oilers at 39 points each.

Six different Mavericks scored goals and four of the goals were scored via special teams including a team-tying three power play goals.

Festa earned his first win of the season, stopping 29 of 32 shots to improve to 1-1-0 with the Mavs.

“We had a good start and our special teams were the difference in the game tonight,” Mavericks coach Scott Hillman said. “It was another great game by Festa, and it was huge to have Kyle Bochek and Mike Burgoyne back in the lineup.”

Missouri jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and never looked back.

Andrew Davis scored on a slap shot from the top of the right circle at the 4:44 mark to put the Mavericks up 1-0. Nick Sirota and Derek Pallardy hooked up for a shorthanded goal at 8:24 when Sirota came in on a breakaway and Pallardy was able to clean up the rebound.

Finally at the 12:28 mark, Jeff MacDermid scored his 14th goal of the season on the power play to give Missouri a 3-0 lead.

The Oilers cut the lead to 3-1 at the end of the first period on a power play goal by Tyler Butler, but Missouri answered with the only goal in the second period.

At the 7:09 mark of the second, Jordan Foreman took advantage of a mistake by Oilers’ goaltender Trevor Cann. The netminder attempted to clear the puck from behind his net and Foreman intercepted and buried it into the open net.

Jake Riddle made it a 4-2 game at the 10:49 mark of the third period on an assist from Aaron Davis, but again the Mavericks answered.

Sirota scored on the power play at 12:15 on assists from Bret Tyler and Foreman to regain the three-goal lead.

The Oilers scored with just over a minute remaining in regulation on Davis’ 15th goal of the season.

Mavericks defenseman Tom Maldonado scored his first goal with Missouri against his former team with an empty-netter to end the scoring.

Missouri returns to Independence Events Center to start a six-game home stand on Friday against the Rapid City Rush at 7:05 p.m.